EXCLUSIVE — The super PAC supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) presidential campaign will debut a new television ad in the first-in-the-nation caucus and primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire on Monday as part of a new seven-figure ad buy.
The 30-second spot from Never Back Down, titled "Grit," highlights DeSantis's military service as well as his past work as an electrician's assistant.
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"Uniforms don't define a man, but they do tell a story," a narrator tells viewers. "Ron DeSantis wore an electrician's assistant uniform, making six bucks an hour to pay for college, earned a Yale Bulldogs baseball jersey, voted team captain, and led his team to victories."
"After 9/11, volunteered to serve America in combat fatigues as a Jag with the Navy Seals in Iraq," it continues.
The ad, the eighth of its kind from the political action committee, will also air nationally on Fox News and Newsmax.
"The Governor’s story shows how the American dream takes grit," the pro-DeSantis PAC said.
The Florida Republican is touring Iowa, campaigning in counties throughout the state. He recently stopped at the Freedom Rock in Appanoose County, meeting with fellow veterans. He also visited the "Welcome Home Soldier" monument in Albia, a public monument organized by veterans to honor past, present, and future veterans. According to the PAC, DeSantis also toured the CJ3 Foundation in the state, a nonprofit group that offers services to and advocates for veterans in Iowa.
As the only veteran polling in the double digits in the 2024 race, DeSantis finds himself in a position to capitalize on his military experience.
In a recent interview with the Washington Examiner, he argued he is the best equipped to be president and specifically to revamp the military because "I understand what it takes. I understand the demands of service. I understand the sacrifices that people make."
"If you're going to ask people to make those types of sacrifices, you better make sure they're sacrificing for something that is unifying and that really, really matters," he said.
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In a different seven-figure ad buy earlier this month, the PAC attacked former President Donald Trump, the front-runner in the primary, over his public feud with popular Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA). After criticizing Reynolds for remaining neutral ahead of the caucuses, Trump suffered the loss of an endorsement, with state Sen. Jeff Reichman endorsing DeSantis instead.
DeSantis is polling at 16% nationally, according to Morning Consult. He is second only to Trump, who enjoys the support of more than half of Republican primary voters.